Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts
Total Credits Bachelor of Arts: 182 credits (90 A.A. + 92 B.A.)
The Business Department strives to develop prepared students who demonstrate strong ethical principles, superior critical thinking, effective communication, and robust business acumen. The Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration provides students with the essential business skills and knowledge necessary to enter the professional workplace. Specific emphasis is placed on reservation-based enterprises and organizations, experiential learning, business writing and business tools to develop employability skills for the workforce. Areas of instruction include leadership, management, accounting, business law, finance, marketing and entrepreneurship. Students are encouraged to develop their business ideas and interests for establishing their first business idea or existing business venture.
Recommended Experiences for Employability Skills
The Business Department actively supports and supervises internships, job shadowing placements, service learning opportunities, and other work-related experiences for qualified students as they complete their academic study plan. Students must work with their advisors and accept personal responsibility for the planning of their approved coursework.
Career Opportunities
With a career in business administration, organized and motivated managers contribute to key aspects of running a business efficiently and profitably, supporting sustainable business on American Indian reservations and businesses in the private sector. Graduates with a B.A. have the ability to earn advanced degrees in business including the globally recognized Master of Business Administration (MBA) - one of the most sought after degrees by employers in today's job market. Many business administration students enter professions where core responsibilities include project management, often pursuing advanced certification to validate your expertise in running any kind of project. According to the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, Business and Financial Operations Occupations average annual salary in Montana is $74,040.
Student Learning Outcomes
Demonstrating a working knowledge of advanced business principles, students who complete the program will be able to:
- Apply management practices and leadership roles used by businesses.
- Recognize how data analysis impacts business operations.
- Interpret financial documentation to make business decisions.
- Compare marketing strategies used in promoting a business’s products.
- Demonstrate entrepreneurship practices used in the development of a business.
- Consider how economic theory and development impact Indian Reservations.
- Discuss concepts related to international business practices.
Recommended Course of Study
Although the required classes don’t have to be taken exactly at the time specified, students must be aware that most of the classes are only offered in the quarter indicated. Students must work with their advisors and accept personal responsibility for planning their course of study. For each course in both programs, a student must earn a "C" or better grade to progress to the next level.
Curriculum
Fall Quarter (Year Three)
Winter Quarter (Year Three)
Spring Quarter (Year Three)
| BUMG305 | Conflict Resolution | 3 |
| BUMG359 | Business Ethics & Social Responsibility | 3 |
| BUMG370 | Financial Management II | 3 |
| ECON340 | Philosophy and Politics of Economics | 3 |
| ELECTIVE | Native American Studies General Education Open | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Fall Quarter (Year Four)
Winter Quarter (Year Four)
| BUMG435 | Entrepreneurship II | 4 |
| BUMG441 | Human Resources | 3 |
| OR | |
| NASD341 | Principles of Tribal Sovereignty | 3 |
| BUMG444 | Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) | 5 |
| | |
| BUMG454 | Small Business Marketing | 3 |
| OR | |
| BUMG 457 | Organizational Behaviors | 3 |
| OR | |
| NASD445 | Intergovernmental Relations | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Spring Quarter (Year Four)
| BUMG406 | Strategic Planning | 3 |
| BUMG410 | Production/Operations | 2 |
| BUMG470 | Senior Project/Internship | 5 |
| BUMG490 | Business Communications | 3 |
| BUMG474 | Small Business Management | 3 |
| OR | |
| BUMG477 | Managing People and Performance | 3 |
| OR | |
| NASD475 | Strategic Planning For Tribal Organizations | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 16 |
Total Credit Hours: 182